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$170,000 for false police claim

A former cop has been awarded almost $170,000 in damages after a court found two other NSW police officers made false statements about him urinating on a Sydney street.

Aaron Beck - a then constable - claimed damages to his reputation and for considerable "trouble, inconvenience, anxiety and expense" after he was charged with conducting himself in an offensive manner in a public place in 2006.

In a judgment handed down in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday, Justice Michael Adams said Mr Beck was off duty on the night of September 24, 2006, when he went with friends to several nightclubs on Oxford Street.

From 11pm to 3am, Mr Beck "drank consistently" and he was "well intoxicated" when in the early hours of the morning he bought a kebab.

Unable to "hold on" and with no public toilets around, Mr Beck looked to see if anyone was watching and then urinated in the gutter.

This prompted two other officers, Sergeants Kevin Sullivan and Tony Deas, to confront him.

In subsequent statements about what happened that night the sergeants' versions of events were "manufactured" and "fabricated", Justice Adams said.

He said claims by Sergeant Sullivan that Mr Beck's penis was "clearly exposed" while he urinated were "deliberately false" and that it was clear "no person at all" was capable of seeing what Mr Beck was doing.

"The actions of Sergeants Sullivan and Deas were proved to be deliberate, concerted, elaborate, reprehensible and contumelious, involving the making of false statements and an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

"These are serious offences against public justice."

The court heard that following the incident and as a result of the "malicious prosecution" Mr Beck's promotion to senior constable was put on hold.

Describing their conduct as "woefully inadequate" Justice Adams also criticised the response of the officers whose responsibility it was to consider whether action should be taken against Mr Beck.

He said they made no attempt to interview witnesses and should have referred the matter to the DPP.

Mr Beck, who was dismissed from the force in 2010, has been diagnosed with stress, anxiety and depression and has been using his superannuation and funds from his father to survive.

He said Mr Beck's reputation was injured "as a result of the malicious prosecution" and that "he must have been subject to humiliation and intense embarrassment" during his daily working life.

The court heard that Mr Beck was currently undertaking proceedings in the Industrial Relations Commission for reinstatement.

Justice Adams awarded that the state of NSW and the Commissioner of Police pay Mr Beck more than $166,800 for loss of salary, legal costs, general damages and exemplary damages.